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A poem featured in the monthly newspaper Mockingbird Times. The Mockingbird Times which is based in Seattle, Washington, has a distribution that covers every state and is designed and written by youth who have experienced the challenges of foster care and/or homelessness. It is filled with articles, essays, poetry, art and photography, which provides a platform for youth to share their unique insights and experiences, while highlighting reform issues that are important to youth who have grown up in the system. Here is a poem written by one of their young writers.

BEAUTY

By Janell Braxton

I’m sorry beauty is distorted and imaginized I’m sorry style is abruptly changing and fitting to one size I’m sorry ethnicity is domineering and discriminating I’m sorry gender is determining and perpetuating I’m sorry love is religion bound and decided I’m sorry hate is raised and instilled inside us My apology, your hate shouldn’t determine me My apology, your love shouldn’t be based from religion unto thee My apology, your gender rules don’t apply to me My apology, your ethnicity has no color to thee Your skin and my skin feel the same to me I apologize beauty, for your conceptions are only a figment of a cartoonist imagination I apologize beauty, for your insecurities to get the best of me I apologize beauty, for your lack to know who I really am I am young and I am old I am light and I am dark I am slim and I am large I am short and I am tall I am weak and I am strong I am sick and I am healthy I am struggling and I am exceeding I am homeless and I am wealthy I am beautiful no matter what I look like I am beautiful no matter what you say I am beautiful no matter what ethnicity I am I am beautiful no matter who I love I am beautiful no matter what